When James’s salary doubled, I was blindsided by his sudden request to split all expenses 50/50.
At the time, I was working part-time — a choice I had made for him, at his urging. I agreed to his proposal, but with one stipulation: we’d make it official, in writing.
What he didn’t know? My “agreement” was just the first move in a bigger plan.
I never imagined I’d be the type of woman to step back from my career for a man. But there I was, sitting at our kitchen table with James, listening as he laid out his reasoning for why I should cut my hours at work.
Our daughter, Emily, was just three months old, and he painted a vision of our future that seemed so… perfect.
“Sarah, think about it,” he said, reaching across to squeeze my hand. “We’re parents now. I know you want to spend as much time with Emily as possible. Working part-time will give you that flexibility.”
“I know,” I replied, my voice trailing off. “But I love my job, James. I’m not sure I want to take such a drastic step in my career right now.”
He leaned in, his eyes soft yet insistent. “But do you really want the stress of juggling a full-time job and being a mom? You can still do what you love and be there for Emily at the same time.”
His smile was confident, almost too reassuring. I stared into my coffee, watching the cream swirl as I stirred, feeling a twinge of discomfort deep inside.
Something in my gut was telling me this wasn’t right, but I ignored it.
“What about my consulting work?” I asked, trying to voice the nagging doubts I couldn’t shake. “I’ve spent years building those connections.”
“They’ll still be there,” he said, his voice smooth, like melted honey. “But these early years with Emily? We’ll never get those back.”
